“Om” is a popular cooking method in Vietnamese cuisine, often used to simmer fish or meat in coconut water or fish sauce along with vegetables and spices.
Here’s a simple recipe for Banana snakehead fish(Cá lóc om chuối):
Ingredients:
- 500g snakehead fish (cleaned and cut into pieces)
- 5-6 green bananas (unripe)
- Fresh coconut water
- Seasonings: chili, garlic, salt, sugar, fish sauce, cilantro, spring onion
Instructions:
- Prepare bananas and fish: Peel the bananas, wash them clean, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the snakehead fish thoroughly and drain the excess water.
- Prepare seasonings: Mince garlic and chop chili finely. Chop cilantro and spring onion.
- Cook the dish: Bring the coconut water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add the bananas and cook until they become soft.
- Add the fish: Once the bananas are soft, add the snakehead fish to the pot. Continue cooking until the fish is cooked through and absorbs the flavors.
- Season the dish: Season with salt, sugar, and fish sauce to taste, creating a rich flavor.
- Finish: When the fish is cooked and has absorbed the flavors, add cilantro and spring onion to the pot. Turn off the heat and serve.
- Serving: “Cá lóc om chuối” is best enjoyed hot, accompanied by steamed white rice.
This dish combines the sweet taste of bananas with the rich flavor of snakehead fish and coconut water, creating a delicious and flavorful dish.